Water Well Trust (WWT)

Partnership between Xylem, Chris Long Foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Water Well Trust brings clean water access to Goldston family

Jessica Sales and her three children in Goldston, North Carolina, will have secure access to safe and reliable water next week, thanks to a recent collaborative effort. Xylem Inc., the Water Well Trust (WWT) and Waterboys –  a charity initiative founded by two-time Super Bowl Champion, Chris Long – provided a comprehensive upgrade with all necessary equipment and installation for drilling a new well and building a pump house. Additionally, project partners contributed by installing a front door screen, placing pavers and planting flowers and shrubs. Local distributor Hughes Supply Pinehurst, well driller W.W. Maness & Sons Inc Well Drilling, pump installer Clearwater Solutions and the Vinyl Institute, which donated PVC piping material, all donated their time and services to complete the project.

“Being involved in this project to provide the Sales family with reliable water access is incredibly meaningful for us. As a family business that’s been around since 1950, we take great pride in giving back to our community,” said Chris Maness, W.W. Maness & Sons Inc Well Drilling. “This project highlights the importance of ensuring that everyone has access to clean water, especially in areas where it can be difficult to find. We’re dedicated to using our expertise to make a positive impact. Having our entire team on-site ensures that we can get the job done right to support this family in need.”

Sales is a certified nursing assistant working at two hospitals and single mother of three. Prior to the well upgrades, she experienced a severe water shortage due to the failure of their home’s 38-year-old well, drilled in 1986. Despite multiple repairs, the well continued to run dry every morning since Sales first purchased the property in 2021. As a result, the family, including Devan (17), Asia (14) and Jayviann (6), struggled to meet their daily needs with only 30 jugs of water on hand, insufficient for basic hygiene and laundry. This crisis was especially challenging as one of Sales’ children has epilepsy, requiring consistent care, and making their life increasingly difficult without a reliable water source.

“After being in the house for a month or so, I started having issues with the water going out and the well running dry. My family and I have been struggling, sometimes having water and other times going weeks without it. We’ve had to rely on friends and family for basic needs like showering, laundry and washing dishes,” said Sales, WWT beneficiary. “The support from the Chris Long Foundation and partners is a tremendous blessing that has lifted a huge burden off our shoulders. We are incredibly grateful.”

The Sales family’s well upgrade marks the 17^th HometownH2O project, an extension of its domestic water initiative working alongside WWT and Xylem to provide clean, sustainable water to communities in need. Water scarcity issues currently leave more than 2.2 million Americans without access to clean water, making this joint effort between Long, his Foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Xylem a vital resource for families across the country.

“Being on-site and witnessing the transformation that clean water access brings to the Sales family is truly inspiring. At Xylem, our mission is to solve water challenges and partnering with the Water Well Trust and the Chris Long Foundation’s Waterboys initiative enables us to do just that,” said Susan O’Grady, senior director of marketing, building services and agriculture, Xylem. “Seeing the relief and gratitude of the Sales family reinforces the importance of our work and motivates us to continue bringing sustainable water solutions to those in need.”

“Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental right that no family should have to go without. Our collaboration with Xylem, Water Well Trust and other partners on this project has been incredibly rewarding,” said Chris Long, founder of the Chris Long Foundation. “Seeing the positive impact it has on the Sales family reinforces our commitment to bringing lasting water solutions to those in need. Through our HometownH2O program, we are changing lives here at home, one well at a time.”

Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in regular water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness of the challenges surrounding lack of water access. For more information about the Chris Long Foundation’s HometownH2O projects, visit waterboys.org/hometown.

Xylem partners with Chris Long Foundation and Water Well Trust to solve water scarcity in rural Pennsylvania

A recent donation provided Jamey and Brandy Godin, along with their five children, who live in Stoystown, Pennsylvania, a water well upgrade,
securing their access to safe and reliable water. This collaborative project, completed by Xylem Inc., the Water Well Trust (WWT) and Waterboys – a charity founded by two-time Super Bowl Champion, Chris Long – provided a comprehensive upgrade including a new water well liner, pump, motor and deepening of the well, along with all necessary equipment, drilling and
installation. Additionally, the project provided home improvement upgrades. Local distributor Aquaflow Pump and Supply and dealer Sperry Drilling contributed their time and services and the Vinyl Institute donated PVC piping material to help complete the project.

“As a well driller, our company has witnessed the impact of water scarcity firsthand, and we believe everyone deserves sufficient water access. With 56 years of experience, our team at Sperry Drilling prioritizes homeowners and their water needs, both on and off the job,” said Judy Bird, president, Sperry Drilling. “For us, it’s about giving back to our community and supporting
those in need.”

In November 2023, the Godin family’s water well stopped producing sufficient clean water due to a drought on their property, compounded by a statewide drought watch in Pennsylvania starting in July 2023. The Godin’s well was showing signs of structural caving, requiring the installation of a well liner and drilling down another 100 feet to secure a reliable water source. While the well sporadically produced a small amount of water, it was not enough to sustain the
family’s basic needs and forced them to seek alternatives, including showering and laundering clothes elsewhere. The Godins resorted to driving 50 miles roundtrip to collect water from friends and family, which lasted only three days at most for drinking and hygiene.

“The support we’ve received from Xylem and the Water Well Trust throughout this process has been overwhelming. Having water and making sure we don’t have to go without it is truly a blessing,” said Water Well Trust beneficiary Jamey Godin. “This upgrade to our well means we now have a reliable source of water for our family to depend on.” The Godin family’s well upgrade marks the sixteenth Hometown H2O project, an extension of its domestic water initiative working alongside WWT and Xylem to provide clean, sustainable water
to communities in need. Water scarcity issues currently leave more than 2 million Americans without access to clean water, making this joint effort between Long, his Foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Xylem a vital resource for families across the country.

“Clean water access is fundamental to well-being, and at Xylem, we’re proud to play a role in initiatives like HometownH2O.” said Susan O’Grady, senior director of marketing, building services and agriculture, Xylem. “Our partnership with organizations like the Water Well Trust and Waterboys allows us to leverage our expertise and technology to bring sustainable water
solutions to families in need making a meaningful impact on communities facing water scarcity.”

Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in regular water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness of the challenges surrounding lack of water access. For more information about Hometown H2O projects, visit waterboys.org/hometown.

Fourteenth HometownH2O project furthers awareness of rural water access challenges

The Dittman family of Parker, Pennsylvania, has received a new water well system yesterday that will provide dependable water access on their property, something the family has been living without. This installation was made possible through a collaborative effort between Xylem Inc., Water Well Trust (WWT) and Waterboys, a charity founded by former NFL player Chris Long. The donation covered all aspects of the project, including necessary equipment, drilling and installation, as well as completion of a home improvement project. Local partners Aquaflow Pump Supply and Flick Drilling played a crucial role in the installation, while The Vinyl Institute provided piping material.

The Dittman family of Parker, Pennsylvania.

Amanda and Samuel Dittman live with their two children in a farmhouse built by Amanda’s great-great-grandfather in 1903. The home, which has been passed down through generations, drew water from a natural spring on the property. Over the years, the family has experienced a continuous decline in their water supply. The spring does not consistently produce water, and provides no water during the dry season, leaving the family without access to a dependable water source. As a result, the Dittmans have relied on family and neighbors to help them haul water daily from town – a 40-minute round-trip drive – and add it to their holding tank. Despite implementing water conservation practices, the family continued to struggle with basic tasks such as cooking, cleaning, showering, doing laundry and tending to their garden.

“I am proud of the history of this house, but it does come with some challenges. There have been a lot of times we’ve thought about moving, even though it wouldn’t allow us to live how we want to,” said Water Well Trust beneficiary Amanda Dittman. “My neighbor always checks on us in the summer to ask if we need water or to use her laundry. It’s a relief to tell her that we finally have water, and she doesn’t have to worry about us anymore. It’s a huge weight off our shoulders.”

This donation marks the 14th collaborative project for Xylem, WWT and HometownH2O – a domestic water initiative dedicated to bringing clean, sustainable water to people and communities in need across the United States. Launched in early 2020, HometownH2O is a united effort between Long, his Foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Xylem to address water scarcity issues, which currently leave more than 2 million Americans without access to clean water. HometownH2O works alongside WWT, a national nonprofit that helps fund and supply water to low-income families.

“HometownH2O is working to tackle the water crisis here at home. Many people in the United States take safe drinking water for granted, but no matter your zip code, everyone deserves access to dependable water,” said Long, two time Super Bowl champion and founder of the Chris Long Foundation. “Our mission with each well installation we complete is to continue to spread awareness and through collaborative solutions, bring water access to those who need it most. Xylem and Water Well Trust are indispensable partners in this effort.”

“Our partnership with the Chris Long Foundation and the Water Well Trust through the HometownH2O program allows us to continue to address domestic water scarcity issues that impact countless families across the United States,” said Susan O’Grady, senior director of marketing, building services and agriculture, Xylem. “We are proud to be part of the solution to ensure that residents in rural communities, like Parker Pennsylvania, can enjoy the essential resource of clean, safe water.”

Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in regular water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness of the challenges surrounding lack of water access. For more information about the HometownH2O project, visit waterboys.org/hometown.